Imagine that an ecosystem contains rabbits, foxes, wolves, and deer. The following predator-prey relationships exist:Rabbits are eaten by foxes and wolves Deer are eaten by wolves Foxes are eaten by wolvesSelect the animal whose absence would have the
greatest impact on the ecosystem.
The animal whose absence would have the greatest impact on the ecosystem would be the wolves. This is because wolves play a crucial role in controlling the populations of both deer and foxes, without which these populations could grow unchecked and potentially lead to overgrazing of plants by the deer or a decline in the rabbit population due to increased predation by foxes. Wolves help maintain a balance within the ecosystem by regulating the populations of their prey.